Posted originally on Oct 24, 2024 By Martin Armstrong |
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released new tax bracket information for 2025. Most tax thresholds increased by 2.8% compared to 2024. The report, released ahead of the election, claims these changes will prevent “bracket creep” where inflation propels taxpayers into higher brackets. However, the tax breaks imposed under former President Donald Trump come to an end after 2025 if no action is taken and this could be the lowest tax season for many years to come.
The bottom 10% level now applies to those earning up to $11,925 for single filers and $23,850 for married couples filing jointly. The top 37% rate covers incomes over $626,350 for single filers and $751,600 for married couples filing jointly. The standard deduction has risen to $15,000 for single filers, up from $14,600 in 2024, while married couples can claim $30,000, up from $29,200.
The 2.8% modification for 2025 is less than the inflation adjustments made in recent years when we saw an adjustment of 5.4% in 2024 and 7.1% for 2023.
Now, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 enacted by Trump will expire next year if Congress fails to take action. If this legislation expires, we will revert to pre-2017 tax levels. The media highlights that the dreaded rich would be forced back into a 39.6% tax bracket compared to the 37% they now pay, but everyone could see a sharp rise in the money they owe Uncle Sam.
The state and local tax (SALT) deduction would also expire. This program currently places a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions. State and local governments would have the ability to raise taxes if this is repealed. Some agencies estimate reversing this measure would up federal revenues by $1.1 trillion over the next decade – they’re eager to destroy this provision.
A reversal of TCJA would bring standard deductions down to $16,525 for joint filers and the personal exemption rate would be $5,272. Small businesses were awarded a 0% deduction under TCJA for S-corporations, sole proprietorships, and partnerships. Twenty percent is significant for small businesses that are largely struggling to stay afloat in this economy.
Trump’s tax plan actually increased the child tax credit, doubling it from $1,000 to $2,000 not adjusted for inflation. Brookings Institute believes that repealing this measure would make the real value of this credit 25% lower than 2017 due to inflation.
Estate tax exemptions doubled under Trump’s tax plan. If this measure dies the exemption will be about $14.3 million for married couples and $7 million for individuals.
The government will become more totalitarian as it sees costs rise significantly in the face of war. Per usual, the people of the United States will be expected to foot the bill. The last revolution began through taxation. It is a matter of time before we see how the next one begins.
Marginal tax brackets for tax year 2025
Single filers
The table shows the income brackets for married couples filing jointly for the 2025 tax year.
Taxable income
Tax rate
$11,925 or less
10%
$11,926 to $48,475
$1,192.50 Plus 12% of amount over $11,925
$48,476 to $103,350
$5,578.50 Plus 22% of amount over $48,475
$103,351 to $197,300
$17,651 Plus 24% of amount over $103,350
$197,301 to $250,525
$40,199 Plus 32% of amount over $197,300
$250,526 to $626,350
$57,231 Plus 35% of amount over $250,525
$626,351 and above
$188,769.75 Plus 37% of amount over $626,350
Source: IRS
Marginal tax brackets for tax year 2025
Married filing jointly
The table shows the income brackets for married couples filing jointly for the 2025 tax year.
Posted originally on Oct 23, 2024 By Martin Armstrong
“Neutral like Switzerland” can no longer be a saying as the Swiss government has announced it is joining the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) to develop a shared missile defense system across Europe. Switzerland is neither an official member of the European Union nor a member of NATO. Yet, the nation forfeited its neutrality stance years ago as Swiss leaders continued to adopt globalist rules.
The ESSI was initially proposed by Germany in 2022 amid the Russia-Ukraine war. The program will integrate with NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) to enhance Europe’s air defenses. The powers that be know war is on the horizon, but they are betting on most of Europe continuing to fight on the same team. Armament chief Urs Loher has signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU), officially making Switzerland the 15th nation to join this coalition.
Switzerland claims that the MoU does not force it into any binding obligation as the government may choose its level of involvement. The Swiss government also claims that it may withdraw from the ESSI if any member becomes involved in a war. “With its participation in the ESSI, Switzerland is increasing international opportunities for cooperation: ESSI enables better coordination of procurement projects, training and logistical aspects in the area of ground-based air defense,” the government noted in a statement. The initial project will protect Europe against medium-range missiles, but naturally, the plan is to accelerate this technology.
Switzerland lost its tax haven status years ago when it began offering up banking information to foreign governments. Switzerland completely capitulated its historic safe-haven status to the entire world. The country was born from a tax revolt against the Hapsburg dynasty in Austria. The tax collector made William Tell to shoot an apple off his son’s head with an arrow. Switzerland then remained neutral in war and religion, serving as a safe haven for those who would be religiously persecuted. All of that is now gone.
In 2015, the Swiss Senate passed a resolution to exchange ALL information on anyone who has any assets in Switzerland. They have surrendered their sovereignty to this worldwide effort to destroy the entire global economy because politicians can never run any government efficiently.
Of the nation’s three main sectors, the tertiary sector is the most important for the Swiss economy. It includes banking, insurance, and tourism, employing more than 75% of Switzerland’s workforce. Over a fifth of the working population makes up the secondary sector, i.e. industry, trade, and crafts. The machine, metal, watch, and textile industries play a significant role, as do the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, which rely heavily on imports and exports. By far, banking was a major sector at the top of the list.
The Swiss economy was built on its banking expertise and security. That is now gone in the age of hunting cash globally. Consequently, the economy of Switzerland lost its primary competitive advantage economically. Now it must develop industries that are competitive globally. It needs more than chocolate and Rolex watches.
Yet, we saw over COVID how tyrannical the Swiss government has become though countless regulations and threats to imprison any dissenters. They even outlawed singing in public in the name of COVID simply to see how far they push the masses. It comes as no surprise as the nation is part of the globalist agenda for the Great Reset and Agenda 2030. They toyed with the idea of imprisoning citizens for heating their homes in the name of climate change, as one example. Swiss authorities have utterly change the demographics of their country by permitting mass migration as the population surpassed 9 million for the first time in history.
Then, the Swiss government was eager to aid Europe’s proxy war in Ukraine and placed sanctions on Russia. “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is a serious violation of the most fundamental norms of international law and is without precedent in recent European history. Within the scope of its political room for manoeuvre, the Federal Council took this into account in its decision to join the EU sanctions,” the government stated. Is that neutrality? If someone loaded your enemy’s gun, would you consider that person to be neutral?
Switzerland continues to claim neutrality. “Neutrality is not set in stone; on the contrary, it is an instrument of foreign, security and also economic policy that must be adapted to the prevailing political climate. The Federal Council has in the past regularly examined and adapted its understanding of neutrality; for example, it did so through the neutrality report of 1993. The war in Ukraine is challenging the existing international and, above all, European security order,” states the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
Russia already sees that Switzerland is aligned with the West and rejected the nation’s offer to mediate peace talks in 2022. Switzerland has managed to maintain neutrality for 500 YEARS. The globalist neocons who infiltrated all government cabinets have compromised Switzerland and are stripping it of everything that once made it a great nation.
Posted originally on Oct 22, 2024 By Martin Armstrong
The core reason that the establishment is suddenly interested in climate change comes down to one main factor – money. More specifically, the establishment is hunting down YOUR money through taxation. A second motivator is limiting our freedom of movement by demonizing fossil fuels and limiting our ability to travel. The European Union is now seeking to punish those who fly more than once per year with a frequent flyer tax.
The EU has already implemented an aviation tax, but the new proposal is designed to punish the pesky “rich,” but per usual, everyone will suffer. “A frequent flying levy would be a fair aviation measure, reducing excessive flights for wealthy passengers, while raising revenues – including to expand and provide affordable railways and public transport,” the Stay Grounded network told Euro News.
The new levy would target everyone flying from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK. The standard aviation tax would apply for the first two flights taken per year, but an additional 50 euro surcharge would be applied to medium-haul flights while long-haul, first-class, and business flights would cost an additional 100 euros. Then they are adding an additional 100 euro fee after the fifth flight on top of the initial surcharge. People will be expected to pay an additional 200 euros for their seventh flight and 400 euros for the ninth.
Lawmakers believe this tax would increase current EU aviation taxes six times over and cover 30% of the overall budget, the budget that those same lawmakers can never adhere to. Some organizations believe authorities can collect up to 64 BILLION euros per year.
But that is never enough for those in government. There are also rumors that aviation will no longer be exempt from VAT and fuel taxes, which would automatically raise the cost of flying for everyone.
If government restricts the freedom of movement with respect to people, trade, ideas, communication, and good and services, the world economy cannot possibly survive and this places us at risk of a frightening Dark Age all because governments fear losing power and are desperate to hunt money for confiscation.
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